


Welcome Signs

by MashiarasDream



Series: Yours!verse [12]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alpha!Balthazar, Alpha!Cain, Alpha!Eileen, Alpha!Ezekiel, Alpha!Sam, Domestic, M/M, Mostly Fluff, Omega!Gabriel, So many babies, a/b/o dynamics, alpha!cas, deafness, established relationships - Freeform, omega!dean, time stamp 11 for Yours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-20
Updated: 2016-11-20
Packaged: 2018-09-01 04:51:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8608795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MashiarasDream/pseuds/MashiarasDream
Summary: The twins aren’t the only new people introduced into the pack this year.(Or: 18K words of domestic life and character introductions with an overarching plot that is only partially visible at this point.)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Seeing how we’re all still reeling from the election, and if you’re like me, have probably spent a good amount of time curled into a ball crying your eyes out lately, I bring to you a chapter of domestic life that hopefully will soothe your anxiety levels more than add to them. <3 Take care and stay safe. And remember, even if it sometimes feels like it: You are not alone! Good people still exist!  
> As always, I’m not a medical professional, I’m not deaf and I also don’t have children. I try to get things right and I do my research but I can’t guarantee everything is perfect.  
> Thank you to my beta-readers ViviTargaryen and WatchingOne. You are the best!

The door opening is not enough for Dean to look up from the bundles of love the nurse placed in his arms, but the icy water and ivy scent that follows, is.

The Alpha has stopped in the doorway, his hands cramped awkwardly around a pot of honey, his eyes alert as they roam over Dean and the pups. Dean thinks that they soften a little when the Alpha finds them awake and in obvious good health.

Dean hasn’t expected the visitor, not consciously, but then, somehow, he’s had a feeling. “Come on in,” he invites, his voice warm and soft in the presence of the newborns, if still somewhat rough after the birth. Screaming out your pain will do that to you.

Now, all that’s flooding Dean’s body is a sense of drowsiness and content. Ben’s squirming in his arms, squinting at the world like it’s still too harsh and too bright and he doesn’t completely approve of it, so Dean hoists him a little higher on his chest, glad that Rob is sleeping quietly, tugged to Dean’s side, completely oblivious to their visitor. It’s a blessing, Dean thinks, to be so unafraid that not even the scent of an unknown Alpha makes you stir. 

He looks up again at said Alpha, who’s taking a few hesitant steps into the room. He looks out of place among the modern machinery and in the middle of a busy hospital ward. Feels out of place, too, apparently, because his movements are stilted and his scent has a guarded note that it hadn’t had on his own territory.

“Is that for me?” Dean asks and points towards the honey that the Alpha is clutching at.

“Yes,” the Alpha grumbles and sets the pot on the nightstand. It makes him look even more uncomfortable when his hands don’t have anything to hold onto anymore. “It’s from my bees. Honey’s got many health benefits. It’s going to be good for you. What with the birth and all.”

His voice is growly but it tumbles over the words like rapids in a stream. Like he’s rehearsed what he could say about the present and it’s now coming out too fast. Like he wasn’t sure how a present from him would be taken.

Well, that part is easy at least. “Thank you, Alpha,” Dean smiles and means it. “I appreciate it.” He looks up at where the Alpha is towering next to the bed. “Why don’t you take a chair and sit with us for a bit?”

The Alpha looks to the door, like he expects it to bang open and someone to throw him out any second. “I shouldn’t. I know I’m not welcome here. I only wanted to see whether you’re okay.”

There’s something about it that tugs at Dean’s heart. It’s the defeat in Cain’s scent, he thinks. It’s the lack of nervousness to his gestures. He’s resigned to the fact of not being welcome. He expects nothing else. And yet, he still came here to check on Dean. It’s more than John Winchester would  have done for him, he’s sure.

“But you are welcome here, Cain,” he answers softly. “And your grandpups want to get to know you.”

There is no change in his scent, no indication that he believes Dean, but the Alpha’s eyes are drawn to the twins, so tiny still and yet already complete human beings. His features soften then, if by a fraction, and Dean thinks the Alpha already loves them, whether he knows it or not.

“This is Ben,” he says and strokes over the head of the pup in his arms. Now he’s not necessarily sure what Cas would say to this move, but Dean trusts his instincts. “If you come over here, you can hold him for a bit. It’s not hard even if you lack the experience. You have to support his head when you take him. Like this, see,” he demonstrates it and holds Ben up a little more for the Alpha to take.

The Alpha, instead of coming closer, takes a fast step back.

“It’s okay,” Dean soothes both Cain and the baby in his arms who has started protesting being held up. Dean cradles him back to his chest and with a few moments of rocking him he quietens  down, giving Dean the chance to look back up at the Alpha, whose composure is not as good as it had been. It’s like when Dean took the chair closest to him, the shock of someone trusting him rattling the Alpha to his roots. “He’s your grandson. Told you we want to get to know you, didn’t I?”

The Alpha shakes his head like what Dean’s saying does not make any sense. And maybe it doesn’t for him. Who knows how long it’s been since anyone has shown him even the smallest amount of kindness. Let alone trusted him with  their pup. Small steps, then.

“They are tiny, aren’t they? They look very breakable but they really are quite sturdy. Want to sit and say Hi without holding them? Just drag the chair over.” 

Cain seems to be completely out of his element now and for a moment, Dean thinks that he’s going to bolt, but then he pushes the chair to the side of the bed and sits, though he’s very careful to keep his arms by his side and not touch either Dean or the twins.

“Hey, it’s okay,” Dean repeats. He sits up a little bit so that he can comfortably hold Ben a little closer to Cain. Ben squints at him and his nose works a little and then he sneezes. Dean laughs. “Yeah, that’s your grandpa’s scent. He’s an Alpha, so he’s got a strong scent. It’s a good scent, though. We like it.” He looks up at Cain, serious again. “I mean that.”

Because for all that Cain’s scent is icy, it is fresh and clean and calm and there are no neon warning signs in it that Dean can decipher. It might just be that he’s of the same blood, but the ice alone is not enough to deter him.

Cain averts his eyes at the sudden intensity, like an Omega who doesn’t dare to meet an Alpha’s eyes, lest the situation turn into something violent. Maybe it’s a lone wolf thing, they have to avoid attacks, too, after all. But even if Dean could attack, he wasn’t going to.

“Come on, let him scent your hand. They don’t forget whoever they meet when they’re this small, even if they can’t consciously remember.”

Cain looks at his hands for a moment, big and calloused as they are, before he slowly stretches out one of them. He looks up at Dean again before touching the pup, like he expects him to take his invitation back and call hospital security instead. But Dean only nudges the pup a little closer to Cain.

Like with himself, he has absolute certainty that Cain won’t harm his pups. A few years ago, before Cas, he might not have trusted his instincts with something like this, might only have seen _Alpha_ and _lone wolf_ on top of that, and thought better safe than sorry. But now, things are different. It’s okay to expect more from life than survival. And it’s okay to help others see that as well. Yeah, Dean’s quite sure that he can trust his gut feeling.

Cain strokes his hand over Ben’s head, ruffling the soft fluff of hair. Cain’s fingers show the years of manual labor in the many nicks and healed wounds, but the way he carefully tucks Ben’s hair to the side makes them seem almost soft.

It gives Dean a twinge in his stomach. He wonders how it would have been growing up with these hands ruffling his hair instead of his Dad’s hard hands pushing him. Better, he thinks. Because for all of Cain’s gruffness, he doesn’t think Cain would have beaten him up the same way his Dad did.

Ben seems to think the same, or at least he doesn’t think that this is an Alpha he needs to fear because he leans into Cain’s touch and gurgles happily.

Cain boops his nose and then gives his attention to Rob, softly running his fingers down his cheek without waking him up.

“That’s Rob,” Dean says and has to fight to keep his voice steady when his emotions want to spill out. “He’s the one who got born first, even though he’s a bit smaller than Ben.”

Cain nods and smiles a soft warm smile at the pup. It’s the first smile Dean has seen Cain give to anyone. He doesn’t think Cain smiles very often. It makes him incredibly sad somehow.

Suddenly, the piercing blue eyes look up from the pup to find Dean’s eyes. He holds them for a heartbeat, before reaching out and cupping Dean’s cheek the same way he did with the pups. “You’re a good person,” he grumbles. “I’m glad that you’re doing well. All of you.”

Then he abruptly lets go, gets up, turns, and is gone before Dean can answer.

 

Dean’s got Rob strapped to his chest in his baby sling. The pup blinks at him sleepily, wrinkling his nose at the many unknown smells, but otherwise he’s not making a ruckus. Cas is somewhat less lucky, Ben being intent on squirming out of the stupid sling, so Cas has to patiently calm him down again and again. He’s shooting an apologetic glance to the headmaster, whose speech is long and heavy and who is losing the attention of the audience with the pup’s shenanigans.

“He’s sooo great with the pup,” Lisa whispers from her place next to Dean, and Dean would swear she almost swoons.

Which is exactly why they’ve chosen to do this, to attend the opening ceremony for the school year not only together but with their pups in tow. Mary is sitting between Bal and Gabe in the first row while Dean is on the stage with the rest of the school board. He’s always thought it’s a bit of a punishment being up here, because he can’t sleep through the speeches, but he’s got to admit that it’s also a good opportunity for a statement.

There’s not only all the pups but also all the parents in the audience and they’ve kept the families together, mixing Alphas, Betas and Omegas. Cas has to give his speech, obviously, but he and Dean went on stage together and Cas gave both Dean and Rob a peck on the cheek before they had to separate to each take their places.

It got them quite a few whispers from the crowd, especially when Cas kept the pup he was carrying and didn’t give it on to someone else. Unheard of, Dean thinks, a pack-Alpha giving a speech while holding his pup. Child rearing, not a task for the pack-Alpha. Well, this pack-Alpha begs to differ, Dean thinks with a satisfied smile.

The headmaster goes on to the roll call for the teachers and Dean perks up a little because Gabe’s already told him to look out for the hot new science teacher.

Lisa leans in towards him. “Unattainable, or so I’ve heard, even though he doesn’t have a mating bite.”

“Were you going to try your luck?” Dean whispers back.

“Oh God, no, I don’t need an Alpha to make my life even more complicated,” Lisa shudders. “You got to admit that he’s handsome, though.”

Dean looks at the new teacher a little more thoroughly. He’s around Gabe’s age, but tall. Taller than Cas, actually. His face is clean cut and shaven smooth. He’s alright. “No more handsome than you,” he wiggles his eyebrows at Lisa.

“Oh stop it,” Lisa laughs and elbows him in the ribs. “You only have eyes for Cas and we all know it.”

“Well, there is always Dr. Sexy,” Dean chuckles but stops cold when the headmaster sends them a reproachful look. He has no idea how he’s doing it, but whenever the headmaster looks at him, Dean feels like a ten year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Not that it was usually cookies he stole. More like sensible vegetables and beans and potatoes. Because Sam’s growth spurts needed sustenance.

He grimaces at the thought, smiles apologetically at the headmaster without actually meeting his eyes, and sinks back into his contemplation instead of listening to the rest of the speech.

He perks up a little for Cas’ speech, mainly because it’s his mate talking. He knows the speech inside out, seeing that he and Cas have brooded over it together for the past two weeks. It’s amazing how little gets done with four small pups in the house. Fifteen minute speech, two weeks of work.

Ben behaves as soon as his Alpha-Daddy starts talking, looking up at him with wide eyes. They had Gabe on standby, in case Ben wouldn’t cooperate at all, but it doesn’t seem necessary. All the better.

Dean lets his eyes drift over the assembly. He wonders whether they can hear it. Especially the ones who have been here for many years. Whether they hear it in the inflection of Cas’ voice and in the structure of his sentences, how every year Dean’s got more influence on the speech. How he went from looking over the finished product and giving a few carefully chosen words of encouragement to one or the other statement that he thought deserved more emphasis, to being involved every step of the way, from the choice of topic to the final stylistic details.

In any case, people seem to like the speech. They nod along, most of them anyway, and even the students seem to be listening. Well, or not be asleep at least, which Dean takes as a win.

Cas closes with welcoming everyone to the new school year, teachers, school board and students alike, and wishes everyone a satisfying and successful year before inviting them out to the yard for refreshments. Finally.

Stretching his legs wakes up Rob, who starts softly whining.

“Oh, what’s it now, little pup? You were so good!” Lisa coos.

Dean puts a hand on Rob’s head, pushing him back to lie on Dean’s chest again, and shushes him quietly. “He’s not used to so many people. It’ll be better outside.”

“Dada!” His daughter comes colliding with his legs, and it’s all Dean can do not to tumble over and take all three of them to the ground.

“Sorry, Dean-o, sorry,” Gabe comes running after Mary. “The minute Bal went to talk with people, I couldn’t hold her anymore. She’s slippery when she wants to be.”

Dean chuckles and pets his daughter’s hair. She’s wrapped herself completely around his leg and is holding on tight, face partially hidden in his pant leg. “Well, she’s holding on firmly now. Aren't you, monkey?”

She nods her head vehemently, making all of them laugh. Until someone politely coughs next to them.

“Oh, hello there, Zeke!” Gabriel’s smile turns wide.

“I thought I’d use the opportunity to say hello,” the new science teacher smiles. “I’m Ezekiel.”

Dean has instinctively pulled his children a little closer with the arrival of the strange Alpha, but now he mainly raises an eyebrow at Gabe’s tone. If he didn’t know any better, he’d say decidedly flirty.

“Dean,” Dean introduces himself but keeps his hands on his pups, not offering to shake hands.

The new guy accepts it without batting an eyelid. “I’m quite interested in seeing this school in full swing. The concept sounds quite interesting.”

“The concept?” Dean frowns.

“Fully integrated education? I have to admit that I’ve never worked under these conditions before.”

“Ah,” Dean grunts noncommittally. Who has vetted this guy? How did he get in? They’re not usually taking anyone who can’t prove at least some sort of experience with co-ed. “Will it be a problem for you?” He sounds too confrontational and he knows it, but dammit, this is his school. He’s not going to let any run-of-the-mill Alpha ruin it.

“What? No, no, that’s not what I wanted to say!”

“Good,” Dean nods, still hostile. “We’re checking the grades you know. The Omegas didn’t have worse science grades than the Alphas last year. So we’re expecting it to stay that way.”

“Dean,” Gabe lays a hand on his arm, “it’s okay.” He sounds somewhat bewildered, and Dean guesses that’s fair enough.

“Just making sure,” he grumbles and hides his nose in his pup’s hair for a moment to calm himself down. Rob wiggles a little but doesn’t complain.

“I understand,” the science teacher says with a placating smile. “But I assure you that it is my firm belief that Omegas are smarter than most Alphas give them credit for, even where it concerns the STEM fields.”

It’s still condescending as hell, and Dean wants to growl and defend every Omega pup with an interest in chemistry or physics. But Dean’s own school career isn’t a glowing example of success, and getting into a fight with the new teacher on the first day of the new school year is not an impression he wants to make. And not even only because it reflects badly on Cas. So he nods jerkily while the other two members of their group stare at their feet and pretend there’s something really interesting there.

“Well, it’s okay. I didn’t take offense,” Ezekiel says somewhat hesitantly into the awkward silence. “Dean's a new father, protectiveness is to be expected.”

It's a vindication to hear the gasps from both Lisa and Gabe. Then Lisa vehemently takes over before Dean can explode. “I’m parched. Let’s go find the refreshments.” Before anyone can protest, she swoops up Mary, who stares at her confused. “What do you say, Mary, shall we go find you some lovely  juice?”

She sets off towards the yard and Dean hurries to catch up with her, leaving Gabe and Ezekiel to trail after them.

“I’m sorry, I know I shouldn’t have done this,” Lisa apologizes and sets Mary back down as soon as they’ve reached a table with drinks. “But it was the fastest way to get you to follow.” She hunkers down to be on Mary’s eye-level. “What kind of juice do you want, Mary?”

Mary stares at her with big teary eyes and grabs onto Dean’s jeans again.

Dean chuckles and leans down a bit to rub her back. “Daddy’s here, it’s all good.” Then he turns to Lisa. “She’s got a wee bit separation anxiety going these days. You’re pretty lucky that she didn’t start outright screaming the moment you swooped her up.”

“Oh, it’s _that_ age,” Lisa says in understanding.

“Yeah,” Dean nods. “Not making it any easier with the twins, I tell you.”

“They seem to be little angels, though,” Lisa smiles, eyes soft when they rest on Rob.

“I wouldn’t go _that_ far,” Dean smiles back. And because he sees Cas coming their direction anyway, he hollers, “hey Alpha-Daddy, wanna swap? I think your daughter wants some water and some love.”

“Is that so?” Cas smiles and hold his hand out for Mary who immediately lets go of Dean’s leg to stumble-run the few steps to her Alpha-Dad. “Hey, well done, little monkey. You’re getting faster every day.”

“True story,” Dean sighs but then smiles when he accepts Ben from Cas so that Cas can pick up Mary and get her something to drink.

“The faculty is getting together after this for a meeting. Do you want to come with me?” Cas asks.

“With all the rascals?” Dean asks back. “Not sure how that’s going to work.” He hoists Ben up on his arm. They’re growing rapidly, getting heavier every day.

“I guess you’re right,” Cas sighs and helps Mary to drink out of her plastic cup. “Can you wrangle them or do you want to call Sam to help?”

“Nah, if you help me get them strapped into their car seats, I can do it. He’s interviewing ASL teachers today, remember?”

Cas frowns but then he sighs and nods. “I wish we could do the whole day together.”

“When they’re a bit older,” Dean answers.

“I guess,” Cas pouts. “But it’s no fun without you.”

Dean snorts. “Like faculty meetings are ever fun.”

“Well, they’re more fun when you are there.”

Instead of answering, Dean hands Ben back to Cas, since Mary is done drinking. “Come on, help me strap the rascals in. The faster you start that meeting, the faster it will be over.”

Though _fast_ is not an actual setting they have these days. With the twins strapped to their chests, the diaper bag slung around one arm and Mary between them, walking at either snail pace or trying to run and fling herself forward in the full trust that her dads will catch her fall every time, it is more of a test in patience than a forward motion. The fact that even after they said their goodbyes to Lisa, there is someone coming up to them every other step to talk to them does not help, either.

But finally they make it. Dean suppresses the slight cringe that he still gets every time they’re approaching their new car. A minivan. A sensible dark blue minivan.

“It’s just a car, Dean,” Cas chuckles when he sees Dean’s face.

“Exactly,” Dean nods. “It’s just a car. It has no soul.”

“Three pups,” Cas reminds him. “The Impala is not the way to go.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean sighs because it’s not like he doesn’t know that this is the more practical choice. It’s just that he loves the Impala, and poor Baby is now permanently banned to the garage. Well, at least she has a garage and won’t rust in the rain.

“Come on, Ben, let’s get you strapped into this miracle of modern technology,” Cas grins.

“I can’t even tell if that’s sarcastic or not,” Dean shakes his head.

“Maybe a little bit of both,” Cas admits. “Mostly it’s fun to watch your face.”

Dean rolls his eyes but he waits patiently until Ben is seated so that Cas can help Mary while he gets Rob into the car. That was the first thing he’d noticed when they came back from the hospital, that having more children than hands is a challenge that is not to be underestimated.

“Everyone is secured, the stroller is in the back, looks good,” Cas says satisfied.

“And no one even made a fuss,” Dean nods. “Rarity.”

“I hope they won’t make up for it at home,” Cas frowns.

“I’ll dump the worst one on Alex if they do,” Dean smirks.

“Ah, but you can’t. School’s starting for her as well. She won’t have as much time.”

“True,” Dean frowns because he hadn’t really thought about that yet. “Pity. She’s good with them.” A moody teenager is apparently the exact right combination of sulking and stubborn that sparks Mary’s interest enough that she gives Dean a few moments of peace. Though he has a feeling that it won’t stay that way when Alex is not around most every day anymore.

“We’ll find someone else. Or maybe whoever is helping us with Deanie might be willing to also play nanny to the rest of the pups.”

“Maybe,” Dean admits, even though he’s not happy about it. He likes to think that between them they can manage all three of their kids. “I should get home. Twins need to be fed in a little bit.”

“Of course,” Cas says, “I didn’t want to keep you.”

“I most certainly hope that isn’t true,” Dean smirks.

Now it’s Cas’ turn to roll his eyes. “Awful, I swear.”

“But you love me anyway.”

“That, I do.” He leans in for a kiss that is entirely inappropriate in front of the school building. Not that Dean is complaining. “Be careful?” Cas asks softly when they break apart.

“Always am,” Dean answers as softly.

“Okay,” Cas says and steps back with a sigh. It's a deliberate movement, even though reluctant and unhappy.

“I'll send you a text as soon as I am home, okay?”

“Thank you,” Cas nods, only somewhat relieved .

It's all the words they need. They've done this dance a few times lately. So Dean waves  goodbye but doesn't try to approach his mate for a last kiss. Doesn't drag out the moment. Not when Cas has already balled his hands into fists at his sides. He looks after them until Dean turns the car around the corner.

It's hard won, every bit of normalcy. Or what counts as normalcy for them. Cas' instinct is still to keep him and the pups close. To not let them out of his sight, or if he absolutely has to, have someone he trusts protect them. Even if the issue in question is only a ten minute drive from the school to their home. But Cas has never been one to let his instincts rule him. Not when they run counter to what he believes in.

Dean's grateful for it and he does his part to help. So the first thing he does after putting the car in park and killing the engine is to take out his phone.

_Dean: In the driveway, safe and sound._

The answer comes within seconds.

_Cas: I love you._

Dean smiles at the message. “Sappy old Alpha.”

He sends back a heart (cause who says only Cas can be sappy) and pockets the phone. His mood was already good but it's still brightened by their exchange, so he hums when he unloads the pups from the car and into their stroller. They smile back at him and make happy little gurgling noises. Everyone’s told him that if the first kid was happy and quiet, then the next ones are going to be screamers, but so far it hasn’t proven true. Ben’s more adventurous than Rob, trying to grab onto things that he shouldn’t, but both pups are curious about the world and are usually content to be with each other and explore what they can explore.

“So, let’s get you out as well,” Dean leans down one more time to free Mary from her seat-belt as well. By now, everything is a well-practiced workflow and he’s got her out of there in no time. “Here, hop on.” He puts her on the footboard of the stroller. For the short way to the house that will work.

They make it into the hallway before Mary decides she wants to waddle on her own. Dean lets her because it’s easier than trying to ensure that she doesn’t jump off while the stroller is moving. Also, it's not like they've got anywhere to be, so he can walk along slowly with her until they reach the steps where it's final destination for the stroller and back to carrying the twins.

Dean wrinkles his nose at the smell of the hallway. The scents are overlaying each other but there’s at least three or four of them that he doesn’t know. Sam’s candidates of teachers that can help them figure out how to be the best family for Deanie that they can be. How to support him optimally and communicate fluently.

Mary wrinkles her nose as well and decides to hold onto Dean’s leg with all her might.

“Why don’t you hold my hand instead, monkey, huh? Cause it’s hard to walk if you’re wrapped around my leg.”

He tries to pry her off which of course makes her hold on even tighter.

Footsteps announce that they have company a few seconds before the scent of the room changes.

Alpha. Strong, but somehow also mellow. More like Sam’s scent than like Cas’.

Dean lets his eyes wander up from his daughter to the visitor for a quick threat analysis. A woman, hair in a ponytail. Business casual attire. She stops a few feet away from them. Smiling, Dean thinks, though his eyes are already cast downward again. She’s got a friendly scent, though. Pine trees maybe. Heather. Dean thinks she likes children.

“Not know,” Mary says and stares from behind Dean’s legs at the Alpha in front of her. She’s more curious than she usually is with strangers right now, though.

“My name is Eileen.” She says it loudly and clearly, though the words slur a little, and there is not much emotion that Dean can discern from the words.

Dean doesn’t think she’s too annoyed at them, but still. “Sorry,” he says and keeps his eyes low. “Mary can never decide whether to stare or whether to be shy.” Usually, she sort of does both.

“Can you look at me when you talk to me, please?” The Alpha asks. “I can’t understand you very well if you don’t.”

And really, Dean should have noticed that one on his own. He can hear it in the Alpha’s speech that she is hard of hearing but he didn’t think about it enough to recognize that she would need to see him clearly to read his lips. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes and fights his instincts to look up at the stranger. It costs him a little bit of effort but it's not like he doesn't have practice. “Hi,” he says and signs the greeting at the same time. “That’s pretty much the only sign I know, sorry.”

The Alpha smiles at him. She has a nice face. Open. Not as harsh as many Alphas are. “Don’t apologize. It’s one sign more than most people know.” She looks from him to the pups and back. “You must be Dean.”

She signs while she’s talking. Out of habit, Dean guesses, because he definitely can’t follow any of the signs. Though he notices that she switches to finger spelling for his name.

“Yes,” he confirms who he is. “And these are Mary, Rob and Ben.”

“It is very nice to meet you,” she smiles and her eyes are warm.

“Likewise,” Dean nods and finds that he means it. For an Alpha, she’s pretty likable.

“Eila,” Mary crows, still hiding behind him but obviously unhappy that the attention hasn’t been on her. Dean chuckles.

“It’s _Eileen_ , monkey, not Eila,” Dean pronounces the name clearly.

“Eileeeeeeeen,” Mary mirrors back, exaggerating the word. She’s getting better at that. It’s only the names that she’s pronounced wrong from the beginning that she keeps having trouble with.

The Alpha chuckles and crouches down so that she’s on Mary’s eye-level. “You are Mary, right?”

Mary nods and comes half a step forward, ending up next to Dean's leg instead of hiding behind it. So apparently Mary likes this Alpha as well.

“You are everyone’s big sister. It is an important job,” Eileen says.

Mary nods sagely.

“I’m sure you’re a great big sister.” That even gets her a smile.

“Ben and Rob babies,” Mary informs her.

“Babies? Yes, they are. Dean is a baby, too.”

“Dee-eeee!!” Mary corrects. When Eileen looks at her puzzled, she repeats louder, “Deee-eee!”

Eileen shakes her head and looks up at Dean for clarification.

“Deanie,” he says slowly. “I’m Dean. So we call him by the diminutive. Deanie. That way we don’t get confused.”

“Ahh, Deanie,” Eileen repeats and finger-spells the name. “Makes sense.”

“Dee-eee,” Mary nods satisfied.

“So, are you going to be our teacher?” Dean asks.

“It’s up to Sam. I would like to be,” Eileen smiles and Dean believes her.

“Well, for what it’s worth, Mary and I are not going to vote against you,” Dean smiles back.

“Good to know,” Eileen grins and gets back up from the floor. “I should get going.”

“Oh, sure, we didn’t want to keep you. It was nice meeting you.”

“You didn’t keep me. I like knowing who I work with. This is a good house.” 

And yeah, Dean couldn’t agree more. “That's true,” he nods.

“There is grief. But also much love. I’d be happy to help.”

“I’ll make sure to tell my brother.”

“Please do,” she smiles.

They watch her make her way out to her car before Dean turns around and closes the door. “Come on, monkey, let’s get the twins fed and changed and into bed.”

 

He actually manages to get all three pups down for an afternoon nap which is more than he thought possible. But Mary seems tuckered out once the other pups are in bed, so he carries her over to her own bed before going to check on his brother.

Sam is in the kitchen, Deanie sleeping in his stroller next to him.

“Hey,” Dean makes his presence known and goes to the fridge to fix himself a sandwich. It’s easier to eat here than with the pups hanging off of him at the school.

“How’d it go?”

“Well,” Dean answers and searches for the ketchup. “Everyone behaved. Even the pups. Not quite sure what Gabe sees in the new science teacher, though.”

“Why’s that?”

“Cause he’s a typical Alpha asshat,” Dean grumbles. “Not like that girl. Eileen. She was nice.”

“Eileen Leahy?” Sam asks.

“She didn’t give me her last name. Deaf chick? Ponytail? Good with kids?”

“She is, isn’t she? Deanie immediately responded to her as well.” Sam looks pensive.

“What’s up?” Dean asks and sits down with his sandwich.

Sam sighs. “I don’t want to hire an Alpha. I invited her cause her credentials were great, so I couldn’t find a reason not to at least meet her that wouldn’t have been discriminating against her because of her gender. But I didn’t think, she’d, you know, actually get into the closer selection.”

Dean chuckles. “You’re a good guy, Sam. Probably the only one ever who's had to make sure he’s not discriminating against Alphas.”

“Well, I invited her, didn’t I? I’m just not sure it’ll be a good fit. A Beta is more unobtrusive.”

“Mmh,” Dean hums thoughtfully because in theory he agrees. But Eileen didn’t give him the creeps. And the fact that she asked him to look directly at her didn’t speak against her, either. She didn’t seem like a knothead. “I can’t speak for Cas but don’t rule her out on my account. I have no problems with her.”

“You sure?” Sam asks.

Dean nods. “She managed to draw Mary out. And you know how Mary is right now. And Eileen’s deaf, right? So she has firsthand experience. Which is exactly what we wanted. Cause we can’t give that to Deanie. We can learn ASL but we can’t share his experience.”

“It’s not even clear yet,” Sam answers. “Whether he’ll not keep some of his hearing.”

“He’s still never going to be at 100%, Sammy,” Dean says softly. He can see it, how this truth hurts his brother. How he wants to do everything in his power to undo it. To spare his pup yet another complication in his life.

But wishing won't change a thing. And Deanie is developing well otherwise. That's what Pam's told them. That Deanie's doing well but that his hearing got damaged in the aftermath of the complicated birth. That the doctors at the hospital had put it down as a temporary side-effect of the intubation. That no one expected it to get worse. But now that it did that, all they can do is deal.

Sam knows it as well as Dean, too. Whether he wants to admit it or not.

“All I'm saying is, keep her in mind. Pretty sure she knows what she's doing.”

“She'd have to move here. She lives too far away to commute,” Sam argues.

“She willing to do that?” Dean asks.

“Yeah. She said she'd like a change of scenery,” Sam admits reluctantly.

“Then I don't see the problem.”

“I just – I don't know, Dean. She said it would be best to integrate her into our household. Because that's the easiest way to really observe and understand how to interact with someone who's deaf. Also for the other pups. Cause they need to learn how to interact with Deanie, too.”

“Makes sense,” Dean shrugs.

“She's deaf, though. She can't even hear when the pups are crying!”

“Why don't you ask her about how that works? Pretty sure she's got a solution for that. Seeing that it's her job and all.”

“I did ask her!” Sam protests. “She said she notices the change in motion patterns when she's in the room and that there are baby monitors that vibrate and flash lights when the baby cries.”

“Well, problem solved,” Dean shrugs.

“But Dean!” It sounds petulant.

“Okay, Sam, what's the actual problem here?” Because it's not Eileen's qualifications, that much is clear.

“She's an Alpha,” Sam whines.

Suddenly, things clear up. “A female Alpha. Like Jess.”

Sam nods reluctantly.

“Dude, you're going to run into female Alphas every so often in your life. You can't avoid them all.”

“I'm not. It's just – I don't know,” Sam shakes his head frustrated.

“You ain't gotta decide today, Sammy. Think it over for a day or two.” Dean gets up. He pats Sam on the shoulder on his way to the sink to deposit his empty plate. “But in case you haven't noticed, you haven't even mentioned a single other candidate in the whole time we've been talking. That should tell you something.”

He leaves his brother to stew, and instead uses what he's pretty sure is only about ten more minutes of quiet before one of the pups wakes up to make a phone call.

 

“Dean,” the voice on the other end of the line greets without preamble. There is no obvious happiness about his call in the voice but Dean's pretty sure that if it was unwelcome, he wouldn't have gotten through.

“Hello, Cain.” Somehow, Dean has taken over his mate's phrasing for this. His own patterns of speech always seem too informal. Not that Cain's a stickler for formality but Dean feels like the sour old Alpha needs to be treated with respect. “How are you doing?”

Cain harrumphs, a noise that could mean anything. Dean interprets it as 'things are normal'.

“It's the first day of school here. It was a good ceremony.” Dean is used to carrying the brunt of any conversation with Cain just like he is the one to initiate them usually. “The pups were surprisingly well-behaved. I didn't get around to making any videos for you, sorry.” Dean mentally chastises himself for forgetting about that. “You know, you could always come by and see for yourself. Our roadhouse is mostly awesome.”

He's giving a variation of the same invitation about every time they talk. Has done so ever since he came home from the hospital. Cas isn't necessarily happy about it but it beats going back and taking the pups to Cain, so he's not complaining, either.

“I don't belong on pack grounds,” Cain gives the same answer he gives every time.

“It's not even pack grounds. It's the roadhouse,” Dean counters. Because that's the exact reason why he's proposing it in the first place.

“Semantics,” Cain replies. “It's your mate's territory. I'm lone wolf.”

“You're the pups' grandfather. The _only_ grandfather they have.”

That statement is met by silence.

“Just think about it,” Dean asks. “I bet you’re still keeping that picture of Mary that Michael gave you in your wallet.” Cain has signed the legal papers that he won't try to take Mary away from them. But so far he has shied away from coming to see her. Dean's not sure why.

“It's not the last you've heard of him, I guarantee it,” Cain says darkly. “He'll try something else.”

It pisses Dean off in equal degrees as it relieves him that the Moores have dropped their law suit the minute it became clear that their precious grandson is 'damaged goods'. That pretty little letter telling them they could keep the ‘impaired’ pup is the last thing they've heard of Michael so far, but yeah, Dean doesn't think it's the last they've heard of Michael. He seems to be the type to be a sore loser.

Still, “if all his schemes turn out like meeting you, I’m gonna have to send him a thank you note eventually,” he smiles softly. Because yeah, he actually doesn't regret meeting Cain. They haven't talked yet, not about Dean's Mom or the events that surround Dean's birth but there's a connection with the grumpy old Alpha that Dean's never felt with his Dad.

“You should get back to your pups,” Cain grumbles.

“Yes, Alpha, in a minute,” Dean smiles. There's no command in Cain's voice, there never is, even as he desperately attempts to distract from what might become emotional. They’ve played this game a few times before. “Tell me how you are, first. You doing okay?”

Cain mumbles something unintelligible that might or might not mean that he's doing well, before he says, “I have to go inspect the hives. I will be out most of the next few weeks. Not much sense in trying to call me until the work is done.”

“You could get a cellphone, you know. It's not like there's no reception in your area,” Dean proposes.

“A lone wolf does not need a cell phone,” comes the sullen answer.

“A granddad might,” Dean is quick to shoot back.

It's an impasse, as it always is. Finally, it's Cain, who gives in. “Maybe someday.”

“Someday then,” Dean echoes and makes a mental note to bring this up with Cas. Birthdays and Christmases are still a thing after all. Though he's pretty sure Cain would refuse the notion of gifts if given the option, he doubts he's going to send a gift back once he's received it.

There's a noise from the baby monitor then. It's not crying, not yet, but it's a matter of minutes now.

“Pups are waking up,” Dean sighs. “I gotta go.”

“I understand. Take good care of them.”

“I will. I promise.”

It's a little ritual that ends almost all of their phone calls. It would be incongruous, Cain's obvious interest in the well-being of the pups and his insistence not to visit, if Dean couldn't understand what's happening. Cain really wants to protect the pups. And now that he's gotten to know Dean and Cas, he thinks it's best to protect them from himself as well.

It makes Dean's heart ache.

 

It’s Mary who wakes up first, obviously it is. It always is. She’s grumpy because she hates waking up but she also doesn’t want to quietly cuddle like Dean has secretly hoped because that would give him another half hour of quiet as well.

No, she’s got energy to burn. So Dean scoops her up before she can wake the twins and brings her back to the kitchen. Sam’s still there, though he’s now bowed over his notebook and typing something. Dean sets Mary in the playpen and goes to get her mug to give her something to drink. Deanie is curiously following her with his eyes while chewing on the rabbit that was already Mary’s favorite lovey.

It’s not like they really play with each other but they like each other, Dean thinks. Maybe they’re already forming an alliance against the onslaught of the twins that’s sure to come as soon as the two get mobile. Dean’s not necessarily sure that he looks forward to that moment.

“You want to lay down for a bit? You look exhausted, man.” Dean puts a hand on his brother’s shoulder.

“What? No, I’m fine, Dean. But if you want to take a nap, go ahead. I can deal with them.”

Sam is not fine. Everyone can see it. Sam hasn’t been fine in a long time. But pointing that out to him won’t make a difference. So Dean shakes his head. “Nah, the other rugrats are gonna wake up soon enough and they’re going to want to be fed. Kinda got to be around for that.”

Sam nods, though his gaze turns to stone at the comment. And yeah, Deanie’s only a few months older than the twins and if Jess was still here, he’d probably just now be getting used to bottles, instead of having had to deal with them all his life. Though the twins will have to make do as well. Their hunger is growing exponentially and Dean’s already supplementing whenever he’s got the feeling that they didn’t get enough.

“I’d be grateful if you could keep an eye on Mary until that’s done, though,” Dean adds.

Sam nods. “No problem.”

It’s not an outright smile but with a bit of imagination, there are a few crinkles around Sam’s eyes and the corners of his mouth are a bit higher than normal. There’s a certain pride there that Dean trusts him with his daughter. Trusts him with two of the pups at the same time, actually.

“Thanks, that’s a big help,” Dean says, because yeah, he trusts his brother with the kids and it makes him a bit proud, too.

Sam’s gaze wanders from Mary back to Dean and Dean can virtually see the change in his face. “Have you talked to him yet?” Sam asks and maybe he’s a bit too grown-up if he starts with the life advice.

“Nah,” Dean shakes his head, not bothering to even pretend he doesn’t know what Sam is talking about, “not yet.”

“You should.”

Undoubtedly true, he should. Before his milk’s gone and his hormones get back to normal. Which judging by the current progress won’t be all that long. But he can’t give Sam the satisfaction, so he grumbles, “Stop impersonating Gabe, it’s creepy.”

Sam rolls his eyes. “Gabe’s not the only one who cares, you know? The rest of us do, too.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean mutters uncomfortably. The topic hits way too close still. “I know.” There is a slight quaking from the baby monitor that saves him from the rest of this conversation. “You good here for a bit?”

Sam’s bitchface says that he is 100% looking through Dean but he nods anyway.

“Thanks, man.”

The thing is, even apart from the obvious discomfort of going up to Cas to say _hey, whatcha say, let’s talk about whether we want to risk my life again or not,_ Dean has no idea what to say in that talk. He doesn’t really know what he wants. Three pups is quite enough, he doesn’t think either of them could handle any more right now. But the rest of it? Dean just doesn’t know.

“I’m here, I’m here, no need to cry.”

Dean picks up Ben first who as usual is more demanding. He’s got to make sure that Rob always gets his due as well. But for now, Rob is still half asleep and will sleep for a little longer if Dean can keep Ben quiet. So he sits down in his rocking chair and gets Ben in a good feeding position.

“There we go, Ben, it’s all good,” Dean pats down Ben’s wild hair. It’s already growing in thick unruly strands. Definitely inherited from his Alpha-Dad, this feature.

Thing is, Dean would never have thought it, but he isn’t sure he wants to go back on suppressants. Or go ahead with a more permanent solution. It’s possibly one of the weirdest things he’s ever felt but he kind of wants to keep his heats. Cause the experience he’s had with Cas was – intense. It’s the best word he has for it. It was intense and intimate and yeah, also exhausting, but there’s a closeness in sharing a heat that Dean didn’t expect. And that he would actually like to experience more often with his mate.

Right on cue, the smell of the room changes. Dean breathes in deep and lets the roots and earth wash over him. There’s also the distinct smell of autumn still clinging to Cas. He just came in from outside and immediately went to find Dean then. It makes Dean smile.

“Hey Cas,” Dean addresses him softly, mindful of the pups and their still half-asleep state. “That was faster than expected.”

“We finished early,” Cas smiles back and comes into the room. “There’s strings attached, though.”

“Strings?” Dean raises his eyebrows. He unlatches Ben whose eyes are drooping again anyway.

Cas picks up the burp cloth and puts it on his shoulder, so Dean hands Ben off to him before getting Rob from his crib and softly waking him up so that he can get fed, too.

“I may have promised Gabriel that we would be back for the welcome party for the new teachers tonight.”

“Come on, Rob, honey, you need to eat,” Dean tries to motivate his son who seems content to just smear his spit all over Dean’s skin instead of waking up.

“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Cas adds while patting Ben’s back.

“How long are we staying?” Dean asks and softly pokes Rob’s nose. He scrunches his face up, eyes more focused now and when Dean repositions him this time, he finally starts drinking.  

“A few hours? Enough to say hello to everyone. I don’t want to stay too long.”

Dean nods. He’s expected as much. Cas looks wiped, he’s doing this out of responsibility, not because he really wants to go. “Did you ask Sam yet whether he’s okay looking after the pups tonight?”

“I did and he is.”

“Then I don’t see a problem,” Dean smiles.

“Thank you, Dean,” Cas smiles back, relief that he won’t have to go to the event alone etched into his features, though he still looks weary.

“It’s alright. I mean, I’d kind of rather have a few hours alone with you than convince some Alpha asshat that they won’t drop dead if they make small-talk with an Omega, but hey, as long as you throw in a make-out session in the car, I’m in,” Dean teases in an attempt to make Cas perk up a little.

“Even if it’s _that_ car?” Cas shoots back.

“Yeah, you’re right. That _is_ a problem,” Dean growls. But he can’t keep it up and starts chuckling. “See, that’s what love does to you,” he tells Rob. “Suddenly you make out in a frikking minivan. And a hybrid on top of it. It’s embarrassing.”

“Only if you get caught,” Cas says drily. “You got an exhibition kink that I don’t know about yet?”

“Are you really talking kinks in front of the pups?” Dean asks mock-shocked.

“Well, not in front of Mary. She’ll have no idea what it means but she will use the words at the very next opportunity.”

“Oh yeah, you betcha,” Dean chuckles. Mary is fascinated by big words, even if she’s often too shy to try them out on anyone but the people closest to her. _Exhibition kink_ would fall right into that pattern. He can just imagine Bal’s face when she says the words, too. Might almost be worth it, actually.

 

They don’t get around to having a make out session in the car, seeing how they’re running late because it is impossible to get the pups down after the exciting day.

Especially Mary seems to be deeply impressed by the adventures and needs to repeat them all to her Alpha-Dad in case he missed anything. Dean translates the parts where Cas actually wasn’t around, which is mainly the part where Mary is in awe of the Alpha who told her she’s a great big sister. She puffs her chest out proudly when Cas agrees with that assessment. Unfortunately, it doesn’t mean that she falls asleep any faster.

Which in turn means that Dean’s tired already when they finally arrive at the party. Not that that is unusual these days. Maybe it would be better if the party could actually be called a party but one look around shows him that it’s mainly a few teachers standing around a punch bowl and munching on various snacks.

“The pups decorated it better for their spring ball,” Dean states.

Cas chuckles. “You mean, they decorated at all?”

“Yeah, something like that.”

It’s not that the common area of the dorms is triste per se, but it’s functional and well-lit and without adjustments, the atmosphere does not lend itself to anything even remotely party-like, the pop music playing in the background notwithstanding.

Dean follows Cas into the room, looking around to see who is new and who he might know. It always takes a moment for him to fall into the role of ‘schoolboard member’ in opposition to ‘pack-Alpha’s mate’ and a few friendly faces make it easier.

They have a few teachers who have moved here for their school now, so all this socializing is mainly for their sake. Though Dean isn’t too sure that the socializing is a good idea when the first people his eyes fall on are Gabe and the new science teacher. Gabe’s sitting on a table, legs swinging in the air and he’s laughing at something that the asshat said.

“Ezekiel seems to make friends fast,” Cas comments on the same scene.

“Wanna join them?” Dean asks and the growl he can’t keep out of his voice probably makes it clear that he doesn’t ask it because he wants to talk to Ezekiel.

“Why don’t you go ahead and make nice while I’ll get us something to drink,” Cas says and pats Dean on the shoulder before moving off to find something that is not spiked punch for them.

“If I have to,” Dean grouches but then decides that he’s at least got to try. So he wears his best smile by the time he joins Gabe and Ezekiel. “Hello everyone. Hope I’m not interrupting.”

“Dean-o, you made it!” His tone is friendly but Gabe’s not getting up into Dean’s space and that alone says that he’s actually not all that happy about the interruption.

“Compelling arguments and all,” Dean shrugs.

Ezekiel smiles politely and Dean’s pretty sure it means that he thinks Cas made him but that everyone is too nice to say it out loud.

“Zeke here was just telling me all about his exciting life,” Gabe swoons.

“Really?” Dean says and turns to Ezekiel. “What did you do that was so exciting?”

“It’s – nothing really,” Ezekiel replies, smile now somewhere between confused and humble on purpose. “Just old stories. But I’m starting anew here, so that’s what counts.”

Dean’s eyebrows rise. “Starting anew? You running from something?”

That gets a reaction. Ezekiel’s face tightens. “No, I am not,” he says firmly. “In fact, I’m trying to salvage a personal situation.”

Now that’s not an answer Dean has expected. “Left someone behind or planning to bring them here?”

“Dean-o, don’t be rude,” Gabe admonishes. That’s something weird, having Gabe admonish him about rudeness. Tends to be the other way round.

“Where is your mate anyway?” Dean asks because it doesn’t seem like Bal to leave Gabe alone with another Alpha for too long. Not that they’re actually alone, but still.

“He’s around,” Gabe answers and looks around with a shrug. “Where’s yours?”

“Getting drinks,” Dean replies and searches for his mate as well. The crowd isn’t that big, so he finds him pretty quickly. Looks like Cas got stuck near the fridge, talking to Jody.

“What a gentleman,” Ezekiel remarks.

Dean squints at the tone. It’s not that different from how Jess talked to him when they first met. “He’s not deciding for me what I should be drinking if that’s what you’re inferring,” he bites.

“He’s not usually like this,” Gabriel breaks in and kicks Dean in the shin. “It’s the lack of sleep with the twins.”

Ezekiel makes vague affirmative noises, obviously still confused by their dynamics but ready to smooth things over.

Dean isn’t quite so lenient. Especially not since Gabe sounds perfectly reasonable and that weirds Dean out. “You sure you’re okay, Gabe?” he consequently asks. “You didn’t work the word ‘knot’ in there anywhere. That’s so not like you.”

“Maybe I don’t want to scare Zeke away before the school year has even begun,” Gabe scowls.

“Yeah, maybe,” Dean shakes his head, unconvinced.

Gabriel rolls his eyes. “I’m not saying you don’t have a point. You two are much more even-tempered when you get your regular alone-time.”

And there it is. Not as crudely worded as normally, but at least it’s there and the world is back to normal. So Dean relaxes some.

“Gabriel?” A tiny voice pipes up.

“Hey,” Gabe immediately puts his drink down and turns to the pajama-clad pup. “What’s wrong?”

“Can you please come look after Luke? He’s crying.”   

“That’s not good. Do you think he’s sick or does he miss home?” Gabriel takes the pup’s hand but turns back to them for a second. “Excuse me, please, I have some parenting to do.”

“Sure,” Dean nods and smiles at the tired pup who smiles back shyly. He’s not sure whether the pups know what a blessing it is to have someone like Gabriel in their lives. He hopes they don’t. That they just accept it as normal.

“I think he misses home,” the pup mumbles at Gabriel.

“Do you miss your parents, too?” Gabe asks.

“Yeah,” the pup admits quietly.

And then their voices get lost in the crowd.

“First night’s the worst,” Dean smiles softly as he looks after them. “It’ll get better.”

“You went to boarding school?” Ezekiel asks, obviously surprised.

And yeah, Dean probably doesn’t give the impression that he went to a fancy boarding school. Well, because he didn’t. “Nah,” he shakes his head. “But everyone’s got their first night away from home sometime. Though I didn’t exactly have a Gabriel to make it better.”

Ezekiel looks at him curiously. “Who did you have?”

“A younger brother. And a car. I was grateful for both.”

He leaves out Benny for this one, the explanation too complicated for this conversation. But he sends a smile and a few good thoughts towards Benny and his family. Dean has not yet scrounged up the courage to send him a picture of the twins. He will, one day.

The uncomfortable silence following his statement is stretching, so Dean shrugs. “It’s been a long time. No need to feel sorry for me.”

“No, no, I wasn’t. I got lost in thought. I understand. I really do. There’s not many people you can always trust. I for my part, I wouldn’t know what I’d do without -,” he breaks off, face flushing furiously.

“So you really left a loved one behind, huh?” Dean asks, voice softer than it’s been all night.

“What? No, I – no, it’s not like that.” Words seem to fail Ezekiel for the moment.

“Hey, no worries,” Dean pacifies, “If it’s not like that, it’s not like that. I’m just repeating what the rumor mill says. You know how it is.” He shrugs, and when Ezekiel still eyes him suspiciously, he turns his palms outward, makes himself a bit smaller. It’s not the same kind of submission he’d show to Cas in public, just enough to make himself seem harmless.

It takes a moment, but then Ezekiel’s tense posture relaxes somewhat. He nods reluctantly. “The rumor mill is working fast. But whatever they’ve heard, it doesn’t matter. I am here now and the past is in the past.”

Dean doubts that that last part is true, everything in the brittle dryness of Ezekiel’s scent says the opposite, but it’s still an unexpectedly personal moment that Dean isn’t sure what to do with. He didn’t plan on having to comfort the Alpha. “The kids are going to give you enough distraction at least,” he says lamely.

“Quite true,” Ezekiel smiles. “I’m looking forward to working with the children.”

Dean isn’t completely sure whether that’s the truth either, but then, a certain apprehension is something he’s come to associate with teachers at the beginning of the school year. “They’re not that bad,” he smiles. “I mean, I ain’t no teacher, but I know a lot of the students and their parents, and they are mostly okay.”

“I believe you,” Ezekiel says. “They are all members of your mate’s pack after all.”

“Some of them,” Dean answers. “None of the boarding school students are pack.”

“Well, of course, obviously. I’m just saying that your mate is a good influence on the pack. He’s been Alpha for a while, hasn’t he?”

There’s nothing outright wrong about asking for this information, it can be found in any official document, but still, it rubs Dean the wrong way. “Talking of him, I should actually go look for him. He never came by with that OJ he promised.”

“Oh, oh, of course. I didn’t want to keep you from your mate.”

‘Yeah, like you could,’ Dean thinks but he doesn’t say it out loud. Instead he smiles, “I’ll see you around,” and leaves Ezekiel to his own means.

It’s a bit abrupt and somewhat rude but Dean’s had a long day. And there might be very few places in this world where Dean is on par with Alphas but the school is one of them. He’s of no use to the pups if he can’t stand his own. So Ezekiel will have to deal.

Still, it’s a relief to get close enough to Cas that his scent is the most prominent in the mix of the room. He soaks it in like the first breath of oxygen after being underwater for too long. “Hey Cas. Hey Jody.” He gets close enough that his shoulder brushes his mate’s.

“Oh Dean, I’m so sorry. Here’s your drink. We got talking and then time just passed.”

“No problem,” Dean smiles and barely resists from rubbing his nose against Cas’ neck. God, it is good to have his mate close. Still, Jody’s not Ezekiel. He actually likes her. So he makes an effort to be hospitable. “How’s Donna?”

“Exhausted. Alex is - having a troubled phase.” There’s a notable pause in the sentence that makes Dean think that different words, probably a little more colorful ones, would have been uttered had the pack-Alpha not been standing right next to Jody.

“Is she?” Dean frowns. “She seemed perfectly moody to me.”

Jody laughs. “Yeah, that.”

“No, but really, Jody, Alex has been a great help over the last month,” Cas says. “We’ve had our hands full with the twins, and Mary likes Alex and I think the feeling is at least somewhat mutual.”

“That’s good to hear,” Jody’s smile gets softer. “It isn’t easy for her sometimes. Everyone tries to figure out who they are at this age, and she has the feeling that she’s missing pieces of the puzzle.”

“Have you had any luck finding out more about her past?”

“No,” Jody shakes her head. “It doesn’t seem that anyone in her family of origin is still alive.”

“Blows,” Dean says. He can commiserate with Alex, even though he’s never felt the pull to figure out his heritage before it got dropped on him. “But she’s got the two of you. That’s pretty lucky if you ask me.”

“I fear she wouldn’t ask you or anyone else right now,” Jody sighs.

“She would watch Little Mermaid with me,” Dean grins in an attempt to lighten the mood.

“Little Mermaid?” Jody frowns. “She watches that sexist bullshit? If you pardon my language.”

“And sings the songs,” Dean nods, “and tries to teach the songs to our daughter. Whose singing voice is not there yet but who makes up for what she lacks in vocabulary and range with enthusiasm, I might add.”

They all chuckle and Dean resists the urge to pull out his phone and show Jody the video he’s made of Alex and Mary singing together. He thinks it adorable but it had been a 30 minute discussion before Alex had agreed that he didn’t have to delete the video on accounts of it being the first evidence of Mary singing that had ever been recorded. But it was definitely agreed upon only under the stipulation of never posting it online or showing the video to her family.

“You see a different side of her than I do, that’s for sure.”

“You’re a great parent, Jody. And I’m very happy to have you as a part-time teacher,” Cas says.

“I’m glad that you’re having me,” Jody answers.

“It’s part of a well-rounded education to know what’s okay and what’s not okay in society and in relationships. And also how to defend yourself if someone does not respect your boundaries. Our students need to be learning this.”

Cas’ voice is firm but Jody’s smile gets softer. “I agree, Alpha.”

Dean does, too, so he smuggles his hand into Cas’ and squeezes it. He doesn’t think there are many other schools where the pack-Alpha insists that the Omegas learn how to defend themselves. In fact, he guesses that it is usually discouraged.

Jody’s eyes are drawn to their hands, her sheriff’s senses alert as usual, so Dean lets go again and takes the half step back that it takes to bring his shoulder behind Cas’.

“Don’t do that on my account,” Jody smiles. “I can deal with my pack-Alpha holding hands with his mate. Or his mate holding hands with him, as the case might be.”

“Yeah, but _his mate_ is here as a member of the school-board not as a private citizen, so he shouldn’t get snuggly,” Dean replies with a sigh. “It’s like doubly inappropriate.”

Cas chuckles softly. “Like that has ever stopped you.”

“No, it hasn’t stopped _you_. It has usually stopped _me_ ,” Dean corrects.

“Mmh,” Cas acknowledges. “I see your point. But you have to admit that you rarely have a problem going along with my inappropriateness.” He promptly takes Dean’s hand again.

“Well,” Dean huffs a breath of laughter, “I’m a good Omega who listens to his inappropriate Alpha.”

They both chuckle and it takes enormous willpower not to lean in and steal a kiss.

“Am I interrupting your conversation? We didn’t have a chance yet to talk. I’m Ezekiel.”

Suddenly, there’s a hand stretched out for Cas to take.

Cas stares at it without comprehension for a moment but then he gets himself together. Dean sighs when Cas lets go of his hand. He resists the urge to growl at Ezekiel, annoyed to no end at the bad timing. It’s rare enough these days, the chance to banter and flirt and make grabby hands at each other without having any pups hanging off of them.

“Welcome to our school, Ezekiel,” Cas says, tone back to friendly if a little guarded.

“I feel very welcome, thank you. Your brother has been showing me around.”

“Has he now?” Dean frowns. He knows Gabe is welcoming, but he’s usually guarded around Alphas and definitely doesn’t play tour guide for them. There is always the possibility that the Alpha is a fan of Casa Erotica after all.

Ezekiel looks quickly from Cas to Dean and back, as if to make sure that he isn’t the only one who has heard the interruption. When no further clues are forthcoming, he smiles but he looks at Cas when he says, “Gabriel has been very courteous.”

Cas almost chokes at the description. “Are we sure we’re talking about the same person?” he asks after the coughing has subsided.

Ezekiel’s scent changes by the second, confusion permeating the otherwise clear scent. “Your Omega brother Gabriel? The housemaster for the Omega students?”

“Yeah, I do actually know who he is, you don’t have to point it out,” Cas deadpans.

“My apologies.” Ezekiel sounds downright bewildered now.

“Son,” Jody interferes before Ezekiel can spiral further downward, “let me give you a tip. You’re taking them too seriously. Just go with the flow.” Then she turns to Cas. “Alpha, I hate to cut this short but my family is waiting for me and I have a busy workday tomorrow.”

“Thank you for showing up at all, Jody,” Cas smiles. “I’m glad that the new teachers know who to turn to in case of emergency. Also, it is always good seeing you.”

“You, too, Alpha. Dean.” She winks, tips an imaginary hat and goes.

“It was a good idea hiring Alex as a babysitter,” Dean says while they watch her leave. “Good instincts there, Cas.”

Because Jody is definitely more comfortable in their presence now, adopting the almost mother-like stance that is much more natural for her than the forced politeness of earlier visits.

“I’m glad it worked out,” Cas says earnestly. “It was a bit of a risk.”

“Nah, worst case scenario was having to babysit a sulking teen instead of having the sulky teen babysit the pups.”

“We both know that’s not true,” Cas answers with a private little smile towards Dean.

But before he can say more or turn sappy, Dean nudges him towards Ezekiel. “Hey, Cas? We’re not alone,” he reminds him.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to eavesdrop,” Ezekiel immediately apologizes again, “It sounds like you have a very peaceful home life.”

“We do indeed,” Cas replies and his voice doesn’t give away anything.

“I can see that the two of you are very close. It’s admirable, really.”

Even through his wariness of this conversation, Dean can smell the increase in honey, something that he’s pretty sure his own scent is mirroring. 

“There aren’t that many couples who have this close a bond. You should tell the rest of us your trick,” Ezekiel smiles, though it looks somewhat forced.

“Mutual respect,” Cas says without missing a beat. “And it’s not a trick. It’s a value.”

He levels a stare at Ezekiel, no more intense than his usual stares but Ezekiel shrinks back against it. There’s a lemony note of fear in his scent that hadn’t been there a second before.

Weird.

Ezekiel is not as powerful as Cas but it’s not usually this easy to cow another Alpha.

Cas seems to notice it, too, because he makes a point of looking back at Dean, thus dropping the challenge. “Are you tired?” he asks.

“Always,” Dean answers which isn’t more than the truth.

“We should see that we get home then.”

Dean snorts. “Like I’m going to get to sleep there. It’s like what? An hour to the next feeding time?”

“An hour and a half if they’re nice.”

“Which they never are!”

“Touché.” Cas turns back to Ezekiel. “In any case, we’re sorry but we’ll have to leave you to your own devices. The pups demand attention.”

“Of course. It was good meeting you, Castiel.”

“The pleasure was mine.” It’s a polite lie but a lie nonetheless. Dean doesn’t think Ezekiel’s nose is fine enough to sniff it out, Cas is still mostly roots and earth and honey, but Dean definitely can detect the tiny incongruous notes in his mate’s scent.

It makes him smile a bit, because yeah, he doesn’t like Ezekiel all that much either, and it’s always an affirmation when Cas has the same reaction he does. Then of course, Cas might just be picking up on Dean’s dislike of the Alpha. Or might not like other Alphas in Dean’s vicinity, period.

That shouldn’t deepen Dean’s smile. Jealousy is not a feature to be proud of. And yet, Dean’s not upset about it. Maybe because he knows that if he actually wanted to be friends with the Alpha, Cas wouldn’t interfere, jealousy or not.

They make their round to say hello to the other attendants, spending a few minutes with everyone and working their way through the room at a good pace. Bal has finally shown up, his Alpha students as homesick as Gabriel’s Omegas. The both of them have to keep running interference before whole groups of pups make their way to the common area for ice cream and hugs instead of sleeping.

Bal looks a lot more stressed than Gabe and Dean doesn’t miss the glower towards Ezekiel, not that Bal tries to hide it. But there isn’t really a good moment to talk to either Gabe or Bal, and the reception is not the best place to bring up a topic like this anyway. So Dean smiles at the English teachers, stays behind Cas when they come by the headmaster (seriously, he creeps Dean out), and all in all tries to be pleasant and have kind words for everyone.

It’s no wonder that he’s beat when they’ve finally managed to get to everyone. They sneak out quietly, opting not to create a scene by saying goodbye.

The night air is already crisp, especially in opposition to a crowded room full of people, and Dean breathes in a relieved breath. He can still dimly hear the voices upstairs but the parking lot is deserted.

Cas notices that Dean is not following directly behind him anymore and turns around to wait for him. Dean uses the opportunity and slides his hands under Cas’ trench-coat as soon as he’s caught up, drawing Cas close and burying his face in Cas’ neck.

Cas’ own hands find their way under Dean’s jacket, and for a long minute they’re holding each other close without moving. Dean’s shoulders incrementally relax the longer he breathes in his mate’s scent, his body yielding and becoming more pliable. Cas’ body mirrors it by molding itself closer to Dean, any distance between them disappearing.

It’s grounding at the same time that it makes him feel light and floating.

“Thank you,” Cas murmurs against his skin.

“What for?” Dean asks.

“For coming out with me tonight. For being a team with me. I’m sorry if I sometimes forget to say it. But I’m not taking it for granted. I’m not taking _you_ for granted.”

“Shut up, Cas,” Dean answers and presses a kiss into the side of Cas’ neck and then one to his chin and then to the side of his mouth. “Kiss me instead.”

Cas chuckles but he obliges. His hands find their way to Dean’s upper back and he draws him in, kissing him softly at first, lips on lips. Dean nips at Cas’ lower lip, upping the ante a little and again Cas chuckles against him. “Is that how you want to play it?” he asks darkly and before Dean knows it, he’s being spun around and then his back is pressed against their minivan, his mate’s body grinding into his.

He takes a moment to recover but then kisses back full force. Cas’ hand comes up to the back of his neck, holding him in place and Dean melts into the touch. It’s been too long. Way, way, way too long.

So he presses his body into Cas’, not caring that they’re outside, not caring that he’s not lean or fit enough to try to climb his mate like a horny teenager. Cas growls lowly at him, the hand on his neck tightening as his arousal gets headier.

Dean whimpers at the sudden smell of chocolate and spices as well as at Cas’ display of dominance. He doesn’t give an inch, though, doesn’t let Cas take the reins completely. Instead, he gets his hands on Cas’ hips and draws them together so that there’s friction and oh my God, they’re honestly dry-humping like teenagers.

The moment he thinks it, he starts laughing.

Because really, it’s just too funny, the pack-Alpha and his mate stealing a moment of frottage in the school parking lot of all places.

Cas growls at him in earnest, not happy with this development but Dean can’t stop laughing. In the opposite, the laugh stretches and grows until he has to let go of Cas because he’s doubling over.

There are tears in his eyes when he finally gets himself under control enough to straighten back up. Cas looks mildly put out still but there’s a small smile on his lips, like he wants to laugh with Dean but doesn’t know what’s so funny.

“God, I love you, Cas,” Dean wheezes. “You’ve got no idea how much.”

 

They make their way home after that, not sated per se, but warm and fond.

They arrive home just in time, too. Sam’s already started feeding the twins, seeing that they get some milk from the bottle anyway, but two hands aren’t enough for two babies who are both cranky.

“Yeah, it’s alright, little bug,” Dean soothes Rob and takes him out of his carrier to feed him immediately. “How long have they been up?” he asks his brother.

“Ten minutes? You’ve got good timing,” Sam replies. When Cas huffs and Dean chuckles, Sam smells the air once and then makes a face. “I don’t even want to know.”

“Relax, Sammy, we were good,” Dean smirks. “Or did I want to say: It was good?”

“And I’m out of here,” Sam gets up and hands over Ben with his bottle to Cas.

“Thank you for babysitting,” Cas says earnestly.

“Not a problem,” Sam nods. “I’ll see you in the morning.” Then he retreats as quickly as he can.

They chuckle at each other and fall silent, nothing to be heard but the smacking of baby lips.

It’s peaceful but at the same time –

“I need a break. After this. If you – if _we_ want more pups, I’m going to need a break. Like, at least until these two can feed themselves.”

It comes out too fast and defensive, and Rob stops drinking to look up at him so he takes a deep breath to calm himself. He softly guides Rob’s head back before he looks up at Cas.

Cas has Ben securely in his arms but he’s staring at Dean, head tilted.

“Say something?” Dean asks nervously.

“You’re considering more children?”

And that’s not what Dean has expected. “Aren’t you?”

“No, actually I wasn’t. Four pups in the house is quite a lot.”

“Deanie’s not necessarily staying forever.”

“Then it’s still three.”

“Your father had five.”

“I rarely try to emulate my father. Also, he didn’t have them with his mate.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Dean bristles.

“It means no one’s body got put through five pregnancies. Especially not high risk ones.”

“I could do it,” Dean grumps.

“Well, I couldn’t,” Cas states clearly. “Being scared to death about losing you again and again? It’s not what I want.” He takes a deep breath to calm down when Ben starts whimpering on his arm.

“Let’s switch,” Dean says. “Ben’s gotta get the good stuff as well.”

They switch babies quickly and efficiently. Once everyone is settled back in, Cas starts anew. “I feel blessed, Dean. Blessed that we have been this lucky. I love our pups more than I can say. But I don’t want to go through all of this again.”

“I don’t really, either,” Dean admits with a sigh.

“Then what are we fighting about?”

“I’m not sure.” Dean attempts a small smile. Then he swallows hard. “What about heats?”

Cas raises his eyebrows. “What about them?”

“Would you – uhh, would you want to keep them?”

“Dean, I’m reasonably sure that’s your choice, not mine.”

“But you gotta have an opinion,” Dean presses.

Cas stares at him for a moment longer, then his eyes open in surprise. “You want to keep them.”

Dean looks down at Ben instead of at Cas. “Kinda,” he mumbles.

“Gabe calls them the bane of every Omega’s existence.”

Dean chuckles. “They are. And they aren’t.” He looks up at Cas again. “Not while I got you.”

The statement’s supposed to be just that, a statement, but it comes out huskier than planned.

Cas reacts to it, too, his eyes widening, turning darker. Then he reins himself back in, his eyes going back to normal.

It’s disappointing at the same time that Dean knows it’s necessary. It’s too early. Dean needs at least another two weeks to heal completely before they’ll get the go ahead for anything physical. And as long as the pups are spending the nights with them, chances are they won’t find an undisturbed moment anyway.

“I’ll make an appointment with Pam if we’re sure about this,” Cas says and smiles down at Rob. “He’s getting bigger by the day. I think he’ll catch up to Ben before too long.”

“Nah, he won’t,” Dean shakes his head. “What do you mean you’ll make an appointment?”

“Well, I believe it’s called a vasectomy.”

“What?” Dean looks up in shock.

Cas looks unbothered. He shrugs. “It’s a minimally invasive surgery. And it has no side-effects for my overall health.”

“You’re talking about getting your tubes tied?” Dean asks to make sure.

“I’m reasonably sure that’s what vasectomy means, yes,” Cas confirms. “Though as far as I’m aware the tubes are not necessarily tied. They can also be cut or blocked.”

Dean is at a loss for words. “Cas…”

But Cas is still unfazed. He smiles softly down at the pup in his arms. “I have three beautiful children with my beautiful mate. I’m good, Dean. More than good.”

“You might regret this,” Dean warns because he can’t believe that Cas would propose this like it’s completely normal. “It’s a pretty permanent solution.”

“But unlike hormonal birth control it has no negative side-effects and unlike mechanical birth control we cannot forget it in the heat of the moment. And I assure you, there will still be plenty of heat of the moment.”

 “You’re serious about this.”

“I wouldn’t propose it if I hadn’t thought it through or wasn’t comfortable with it.”

“Pam would know that you’ve done it.”

Cas raises his eyebrows. “Obviously.”

“So, theoretically, the pack might find it out,” Dean adds because he doesn’t think Cas gets it.

“And?”

So he doesn’t get it. “And you’re their Alpha!”

“A function that is not in any way linked to my vasa deferentia.”

“To your what?”

“The tubes that carry sperm,” Cas sighs.

“Hey, I’m not the medical doctor here, excuse me if my Latin is rusty,” Dean defends himself.

“In any case,” Cas brings them back on topic, “this is a private decision that does not have any influence on my ability to lead this pack.”

Dean stays quiet. He believes that Cas is right but he also believes that the more conservative part of their pack will not see it that way. It’s the Alpha’s job to produce as many heirs as possible and their Omega’s job to carry them.

Using birth control is one thing, even having the Omega sterilized is acceptable – after all, the Alpha can break their bond and find a new mate. But sterilizing the Alpha? Not acceptable.

“Can we think about this for a while longer?” Dean asks.

“Of course,” Cas smiles. He runs a thumb up and down Ben’s cheek. “This one is falling asleep again.”

“Yeah, Rob’s getting pretty drowsy, too. Want to see whether we can all catch a round of sleep before they get hungry again?”

“Yes, please,” Cas nods.

 

They have the twins spend the nights in the bedroom for now, just because it’s easier than to get up and walk to the nursery every time one of them wakes up. The chances that Mary sleeps through when no one is crying next to her are also better. Better, not perfect. In fact, more nights than not they all end up in the big bed together at some point, a pile of limbs and bodies, all huddled together.

The baby books Dean’s read (yes, he’s read baby books, sue him if he wants to be the best Dad for his kids) have differing opinions on arrangements like this. Some are adamant that the pups need to learn to sleep in their own beds and respect their parents’ space early on. Others quote evolution and instincts, and say that huddling together in a cave-like situation is a natural state and should be encouraged.

The only thing Dean knows is that the pups sleep peacefully surrounded by their parents, and Cas’ Alpha-scent is rarely as pure and satisfied as when he has all of his pups and his mate next to him. So Dean doesn’t feel like he has to change anything about their sleeping arrangements just yet.

Instead, he grabs any hour of sleep that he can get. They’re precious enough.

And after the school year has started, they get even more precious, because the summer lull in pack business is over and Cas is needed more often. So they try to let him get enough sleep at least, but that means that Dean gets less. And without Alex, he’s also got less help during the day, even though everyone in the house is still helping where they can.

He doesn’t complain because at least he’s recovering physically and the pups seem to do well. They are a little behind in motor functions in comparison to their peers who were born less prematurely, and they seem to have stomachaches somewhat more often, but they are healthy and developing normally and that’s so much more than what their best outcome looked like for a while during pregnancy. There are still moments when Dean watches their pups sleep and suddenly a wave of gratitude rolls over him that makes him sit down because his knees are too wobbly to stand.

It’s one such moment, Dean sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery, an open textbook forgotten on his lap while he watches the pups sleep that there is a soft knock on the door.

He looks up to find Sam in the doorframe.

“Hey. You can come in if you’re quiet. They’re out,” Dean whispers.

“Actually, yeah, well okay,” Sam nods.

He finds himself a stool and brings it over to sit down next to Dean instead of taking the couch.

“What’s up, Sammy?” Between moving closer and the nervousness in his scent, Sam’s here with a purpose.

“I’ve skyped with, umm, Eileen again,” Sam says hesitantly. “Remember her?”

“The Alpha who applied for the house teacher position,” Dean nods.

“Yeah, umm, yes. We’ve talked in a little more detail and she’d be willing to help take care of all four pups. And she’s still interested. In the position, I mean.”

“That’s all good things, right?” Dean frowns because Sam is stumbling over the words like there’s something wrong. “Is there a catch?”

“Not really. She’s still an Alpha.”

Dean frowns at Sam. “Really, man? We’ve been over this.”

“Yeah, I know,” Sam sighs. “Anyway, Cas greenlighted a trial period. If you’re okay with it as well.”

“You know that I am,” Dean points out because he’s been in favor of Eileen from the beginning.

“Yes, you said so. I just, I wanted to make sure. And I didn’t want you to be surprised. I mean, she’s going to help with your pups, too, and I know how particular you are with who gets to be near the pups.”

“I trust your judgement, Sam.”

“I – thank you, Dean.”

“Hey, I raised you. And I know that I did that well,” Dean nudges his brother in the shoulder.

 

Thus, a few weeks later, their household gets a new member. Sam wants to introduce her to everyone individually but Eileen asks for a meeting with the whole household, so that’s what they do.

Cas, who has kept in the background for the whole hiring process and apparently doesn’t plan to change this stance, only gives a quick introduction and welcome and then gives the floor to Eileen.

“I am sorry to keep you from your daily routines. I will try to keep it short.” She smiles at all of them.

Charlie signs something back that makes Eileen laugh. She answers with a flurry of motion, even though she slows down when Charlie apparently asks her to, again via sign.

Charlie sighs and begins to speak and sign simultaneously. “I’ve been made aware that it’s rude to speak a language that not everyone understands. Gosh, this is hard.”

Eileen laughs again. “It’s okay not to sign. I can understand you.”

“But I practiced!” Charlie pouts. “The grammar is like totally cool. So much better than Elvish.” She looks puzzled on the last word and then finger-spells it.

“Please don’t ask,” Cas interrupts before Eileen can do just that. “It’ll be a long monologue. And I think you had a reason to gather us here today.”

“I do,” Eileen nods. “And I thank you for giving me permission to ask this, Alpha.”

“Cas,” Cas replies and finger-spells his own name.

“Cas,” Eileen repeats though what she signs looks different from what Cas just signed. Before Dean can ask, Eileen is already going on. “To have my being here a success, I will need your help.”

“Whatever we can do,” Sam says.

Eileen smiles at him and at the baby in his arms. “For now, I want to ask something of you that will make it easier for me to navigate this house. It is unusual and if any of you refuses, I will not hold it against you.”

She looks around once, satisfied when everyone nods at her to keep going and no one immediately protests.

“I navigate by sight and by smell. I cannot hear when someone enters a room but I can smell it. I understand that the situation has been somewhat precarious before and that there still might be unwelcome surprises from enemies of the pack. I would like to commit your scents to memory so that I will recognize every scent that surrounds the pups. So that I can also recognize any scent that should not be here in the middle of the night.”

“You want to scent us?” Meg asks and wrinkles her nose.

“If you allow it, yes,” Eileen confirms.

For a moment, there is silence.

Then Hannah sighs. “I would rather opt out but since it is for the safety of the pups, you have my permission. I’m Hannah by the way.”

She walks the few steps up to Eileen and tilts her head to the side.

“Thank you, Hannah.”

There is a slight insecurity on the name, even though Dean knows that Sam has given Eileen a list with everyone’s names. But names are hard and Anna and Hannah have the same shape when spoken.

“I’ll be next,” Charlie smiles.

“Thank you, Charlie,” Eileen smiles back.

Charlie starts laughing. “Are you calling me Red?”

Eileen signs something back that she doesn’t translate.

Charlie shakes her head. “Nah, I don’t have another ASL name yet. Repeat the name sign for me?”

Eileen does the sign again and Dean finds himself copying the movements, too.

“So it’s based on the sign for red but it’s an individual variation to make it a unique name?” Charlie asks.

“Yes,” Eileen nods.

“Cool. I like it,” Charlie smiles and finally steps up to Eileen to get scented. In opposition to Hannah, she stretches a little to give Eileen better access.

Meg gives herself a haughty air but she steps up next and lets herself be scented, too.

That only leaves Cas, Sam and Dean.

“Cas?” Dean asks and raises his eyebrows at his mate. Even though this is completely different, he still remembers the incident with Benny vividly.

“Umm, yeah, sure. Go ahead,” Cas says uncomfortably.

“Make sure the babies don’t fall off the couch?”

It isn’t necessary, the twins aren’t mobile enough yet to even roll from their tummies to their back but Cas jumps at the opportunity not to watch as Dean approaches Eileen.

Dean smiles at her a little nervously when he’s in front of her. He still likes her scent and he isn’t afraid of her. But as a rule, he doesn’t get close to any Alphas other than Cas and Sam. Not even Bal. Jess was the only other Alpha he’d hug every so often. 

“You don’t have to,” Eileen says quietly. “Alphas and Omegas, they have strong scents.”

Dean gives her a half-smile and shrugs. “You’re smelling mating bond and babies and milk, though. If you scent me, you’ll smell what _I_ smell like.”

“That is true,” Eileen nods.

“Then do it,” Dean says and closes his eyes in nervous anticipation when he tilts his head to the side.

A little shudder runs through him at having her so close, and he fights the urge to flinch away. But she’s careful not to touch him and it’s over after a few seconds, one long inhale all that she needs.

“Thank you,” Eileen says and then tilts her own head to the side.

“What are you doing?” Dean asks.

“The Betas don’t have a sense of smell as strong as you and I do. But you will be able to tell that I have good intentions from my scent. It would be very suspicious of me not to offer.”

“Umm, yeah, that’s okay. I believe you,” Dean mumbles and takes a step back. “Maybe Cas wants to take you up on the offer, though.”

“Alright,” Eileen nods, unperturbed by his refusal.

Cas on the other hand is wearing a frown on his face.

“Your turn, Alpha,” Dean encourages him and casually rubs his hand along Cas’ arm even while Cas sniffs the air around him.

But Eileen hasn’t touched him, so none of her scent is on him. Obviously satisfied with that, Cas steps up to Eileen.

The two Alphas stay motionless for a second, then Eileen tilts her head to the side.

Cas grumbles something that’s not actual words and leans forward to take in her scent. He stays leaned over her for another few heartbeats, just long enough that the position must become uncomfortable.

Eileen tilts her head a little further, eyes firmly turned downwards, arms relaxed at her side. When Cas finally steps back with a little huff, she looks up with an amused little smirk. “I am deaf, Alpha. I am used to submitting. It will need more than this to make me lose equilibrium.”

Dean thinks that he sees the tips of Cas’ ears turn pink but he doesn’t apologize. Instead, he bends his head to allow Eileen to scent him.

She is quick with it, much quicker than Cas had been. “Thank you, Alpha.”

Cas nods, shakes himself and steps back.

Dean’s first impulse is to immediately cross the room towards him, but Sam has hung back so far and still looks reluctant. So Dean goes to him instead and stretches out his arms to take Deanie.

Sam pouts, almost like he did when he was a teenager. “Do I have to?”

It’s said to Dean but volume doesn’t make a difference and apparently Eileen caught his lip movements.

“No,” Eileen shakes her head. “It would help. But you do not have to.”

Resolutely, Dean takes Deanie out of Sam’s arm. “You want her to know your scent, you’ll have to let her.” Because the sadness and mourning of the broken bond with Jess are still so thick and cloying in Sam’s scent that Sam’s own scent almost gets lost under it.

“Sam, it’s alright,” Eileen says kindly. “I understand. I will recognize you without scenting you.”

Sam looks pale and for a long moment he stays motionless but then he shakes his head. “No, Dean is right. There is more to me than grief. You should know that.”

He steps up to Eileen determinedly, though he has to bend forward to give her access to his neck.

She puts a steadying hand on his arm, though whether it’s for herself because she’s almost on tiptoes, or whether it’s to ground Sam, Dean isn’t able to tell.

“Do you want to?” Eileen asks and to Dean’s surprise, Sam accepts the offer and scents her back.

Dean shoots a look at Cas but instead catches Charlie’s raised eyebrow. She nods at him. Yeah, she’s seeing this, too.

 

If the next few weeks make one thing clear, then that Eileen is simultaneously extremely unobtrusive and a breath of fresh air, Dean muses. He’s sitting at the kitchen table, feeding the twins while he observes Sam and Eileen on the other side of the kitchen. Dean’s got it down to a science by now, feeding two pups without either of them having to wait so long that they start crying.

Sam is warming up Deanie’s bottle while Eileen is preparing Mary’s lunch, Mary holding herself up by clinging to her legs. Their first meeting has turned out to be a predictor for the future, Mary immediately taking to Eileen as if she’d always been a part of their household. Surprisingly, it seems to make Bal more jealous than Cas. Whenever he visits, he grumbles that he’s not the sole center of attention anymore. 

Right now, Mary is staring up at Eileen, the hand she doesn’t need to hold herself upright clumsily copying Eileen’s signs. She’s figured it out fast, that Eileen is talking with her hands. It’s clear that she doesn’t know the language yet and that her finer motor skills are only partially on point but it’s also clear that she’s learning.

Faster than Dean he suspects, as embarrassing as that is. But then, he has the excuse that he has at least two pups hanging off of him most of the time. It’s kind of distracting and more often than not he doesn’t have his hands free to sign. His only comfort is that Cas has less excuses and he’s even slower than Dean. Well, okay, Cas has a pack to run, so maybe that counts as an excuse.

“Come on, Mary,” Eileen picks Mary up and puts her in the high seat, handing her a spoon, which Mary bangs excitedly on the table in front of her.

“Sweetheart, what do you think, want to try to eat without getting food over everyone today?” Dean tries to calm her down a little.

“No!” Mary squeals delightedly.

“I thought so,” Dean nods. “You could try at least?”

“Nooooo!”

He tries to put on a stern face but doesn’t actually manage to. _No_ is Mary’s favorite word and more often than not it has very little influence on what she’s actually going to do. “Well, we’ll just have to respect your freedom to throw around your food then, huh?” he smiles.

“No!”

“Alright, sweetheart,” Dean chuckles and looks up at Eileen. “You tell me if you want me to take over, okay?”

Eileen smiles fondly at Mary and puts her pasta in front of her before saying, “It’s fine, Dean.”

Dean checks back towards where Sam is still at the kitchen counter with Deanie. “All I’m saying is, I know that these two are your priority, so you don’t have to help as much as you do.”

Eileen frowns at him. “Dean, I insisted on being included in the household for a reason. You all are equally important in making my stay here a success.”

Dean nods because he knows that. He knows that they all have to help together to be the best they can be for Deanie. “I’m trying,” he sighs because twins or not, he has a bad conscience. “With Deanie. And with the whole sign language thing. I’m sorry that I’m not better at it.”

Dean has given up on the belief that he can’t do well academically or that it’s natural stupidity if he’s got a hard time learning. He’s doing well enough with college and he’s already looked at next semester’s curriculum to see if there are any classes that deal with the integration of pups with special needs into schools catering mainly for the able-bodied. It’s just that right now, he’s running on very little sleep and even when he wants to give his full attention to something, he’s usually got about ten undisturbed minutes before his attention has to be back on the pups.

Eileen’s frown intensifies even while she successfully manages to get another spoon of food into Mary’s mouth without its content spilling everywhere. “You’re _trying_?”

Dean looks down at his pups, using the excuse of switching their places to avoid looking at Eileen. She rarely gives her tone any emphasis, seeing how it’s hard for her to convey feeling with her tone. So the fact that she does it now is probably not a good sign. “Yeah,” he mutters and because he knows she can’t see him well, he quickly signs it as well.

“Dean, can I ask you a question?” Eileen asks.

“Sure,” he shrugs.

“How did it get noticed that Deanie was hard of hearing?”

“Deeeeeeeeneeeeee!” Mary yells and waves her spoon like a flag. Eileen pats her head but she keeps her attention on Dean.

“Hasn’t Sam told you already?” Dean fidgets uncomfortably.

“He has. But I want to know your version.”

“Pamela – Dr. Barnes - repeated those tests. The ones that are supposed to catch stuff like this directly after birth. Only apparently Deanie’s hearing got worse only later,” Dean deflects the question.

“Why did she repeat the tests?” Eileen is unrelenting.

Sam chooses this moment to come over with his pup because obviously.

Dean averts his eyes. “Cause we noticed something was off. That Deanie was not reacting like other pups.”

He can feel Sam’s eyes on him even though he keeps his own eyes steadfastly on Ben and Rob.

“Bullshit,” Sam says emphatically. “There wasn’t a _we_. You figured it out.”

“Well, I’ve got more experience with pups, I had a better chance to notice,” Dean snaps because he doesn’t want to go through this again. Definitely doesn’t want to talk about the note again. Sam hadn’t been supposed to find that thing in the first place. Wasn’t Dean’s fault that he’d ended up having to stay in the hospital with the pups for a couple of weeks. If not for that, the note would have been long gone by the time Sam ever looked at the photo album, and Sam could never have gotten a chance to chew him out for it.

“There is no need to fight,” Eileen stops them before this can devolve. “All I’m saying is, you’re doing more than trying. You’re important. How proficient you are at ASL makes no difference.”

Dean is pretty sure that that is not how it works but he smiles anyway and signs _thanks_ instead of saying it.

Eileen smiles at him and answers with a signed _you’re welcome_.

Weirdly, it makes Dean feel better. Like somehow things are truer when not said in English. He shakes himself out of the moment. “I’m going to bring the rascals to bed for their nap. You good here for a moment?”

“Absolutely,” Eileen nods while Mary keeps munching.

Dean feels both Eileen’s and Sam’s eyes following him while he leaves. It should give him an uncomfortable prickle, two Alphas staring at him but it doesn’t. It’s only taken a few weeks for all of them to start working seamlessly around each other.

He’s been right. Eileen was a good choice. Even though it can’t be easy for her, he thinks while he prepares the twins for bed.

They are staying awake a little longer during the days now and are sleeping a little easier during the night. He coos nonsense to them, always trying to keep the pup he is not currently holding occupied so that they won’t start screaming from pure impatience.

“Yeah, you got that from me, huh?” he grins. “Alpha-Dad is way more patient than me.”

Ben gurgles and keeps smiling at him even while he gets Rob into new diapers. Dean takes it as a win.

He’s got the twins in bed and settled down when Eileen comes in with Mary.

“Hey, monkey, your eyelids are drooping. You ready for bed?” Dean asks her and takes her from Eileen’s arms.

True to her nickname, she throws her arms around his neck and buries her face in his shoulder.

“You want to fall asleep on me, little one?”

He gets what he thinks is a nod against his shoulder.

“Okay.”

He carries her over to the rocking chair and settles down with her. It happens every so often ever since the twins have been born, that she doesn’t want to let go of him when it’s time for bed. Maybe it’s a lingering bit of insecurity at all the changes and new people.

Dean’s more than willing to reassure his daughter that he doesn’t love her any less just because there are other people he loves as well.

When he notices that Eileen is still standing in the doorway, smiling softly, he waves her in. “You can come in if you want. It’s calm in here when they’re all asleep. Good for a break.”

She hesitates for a moment but then nods and makes herself comfortable on the couch.

For a while, they sit in silence, Dean rocking his chair ever so slightly and listening to Mary’s breathing evening out.

 _They’re in my heart, too, Mary and the twins, you know that, right?_ Eileen signs eventually.

Dean smiles, as much at the content of the sentence as at the fact that Eileen has chosen a variation of the word _blueberry_ as Mary’s ASL name.  It’s usually either a character trait or a play on someone’s scent how your name is determined, Eileen had explained to him. And then promptly proceeded to name him _apple pie_. He’d be more upset about it if she wasn’t also calling Cas _honey bee_.

Her own name is a shortened version of _doesn’t give up_ and Dean’s got a feeling that that’s aptly named.

“Does it ever bother you?” he asks her.

She looks at him questioningly.

He’s pretty sure it’s a rude question so he’s hesitant to repeat it. But then, he guesses she is used to people being nosy about this. “Being nanny to some other Alpha’s pups.”

Her eyes light up in understanding. “No,” she shakes her head. “I love to work with pups. What bothers me is when people treat me as defective.”

Dean nods because he gets that. “Me, too. I mean, it’s different. But still.”

Eileen smiles kindly at him. “Being an Omega is not a defect. Neither is being deaf. At least for me it isn’t. It gave me a different perspective than other Alphas have and I’m grateful for it.”

“A very wise view,” Dean says. He wishes he always had an easy time saying he was grateful for the perspective his gender gave him.

Eileen laughs quietly. “Admittedly not one I’ve always had. There’s a learning curve.”

“Yeah,” Dean nods because he can attest to that.

“Hey, you’re happy now,” Eileen says. “That’s what counts.”

“True.” Because sleep-depravation or not, having zero alone-time or not, Dean knows he wouldn’t change a thing.

“I am happy, too,” Eileen continues, and her smile gets uncharacteristically shy. “I get to choose what I want to do with my life. It’s more than most people can say.”

Dean thinks of Sam’s plans to become a lawyer and Cas’ plans to become a doctor and guesses that yeah, even for Alphas that’s true. “Well, if there’s anything we can help you with, just, you know, let us know,” he says lamely.

Eileen smiles at him affectionately. _Thank you._

He mirrors her signs from before. _You’re welcome._

 

Dean still has the conversation with Eileen on his mind when they’re settling in for bed at night. Cas has taken to having the same early bedtime as Dean whenever it’s possible, going to bed only shortly after the pups, though they usually don’t sleep immediately.

Instead, they enjoy the downtime, the only quiet time they get together these days. When they’re not too tired, they bring each other up to speed on the day’s happenstances in hushed whispers or read or just cuddle up against each other, trading lazy kisses. It rarely gets heated, both of them by silent agreement using the time to settle down, not rev up.

So tonight, Dean snuggles in, not wanting to disturb Cas while he’s reading, but still too deep in his own thoughts to pick up a book himself.

“You’re thinking very loudly,” Cas says after a minute and puts his bookmark in place before dropping a kiss on Dean’s head. “What’s up?”

“Nothing really, it’s just something Eileen said.”

“Hmm? What did she say?”

“That she was lucky because she gets to do with her life what she wants to do with it.”

Cas thinks about it for a second, then he nods. “I guess she’s right. I have no idea what her parents had planned for her, but being a teacher and nanny was probably not it.”

“If I tried to get Sam back into a law program, would you support it?” Dean asks and tilts his head up to face Cas. “I mean, not right now, but maybe in half a year or so? It’s always been what he wanted. Help people when society tries to fuck them over. And I’ve – I’ve never noticed how few people get to do what they want. I can’t make it that you can work as a doctor or Cain can have his pack back. But Sam still has a chance.”

Cas’ face turns soft and he brings up a hand to cup Dean’s face and bring him in for a kiss.

“Is that a yes?” Dean asks.

“Like there was ever any doubt about that,” Cas chuckles.

“Mm,” Dean weighs his head, “What was that you said to me a while ago? I’m not taking it for granted, little Alpha. Not taking you for granted.”

“You can, though. My support, you can always take for granted, for you will always have it.”

It’s sweet and a little sappy and Dean answers silently by first signing _thank you_ and then stretching back up so that he can capture Cas’ mouth in a kiss of his own. It’s slow and soft and warm and Dean melts into it.

“Are you happy?” he asks and lays his head on Cas’ chest, wrapping his arm around his mate’s waist.

Cas stretches to lay his book to the side and turn off the lights before he in turn wraps both of his arms around Dean. “Yes, Dean, I’m very happy,” he confirms with a content little sigh.

“Good,” Dean mumbles, Cas’ warmth and happy scent instantly relaxing him and making him sleepy. “Cause I’m happy, too.”

One of Cas’ hands comes up into Dean’s hair then, softly stroking. Dean almost purrs at how good it feels, his eyes closing of their own accord. It’ll only be a few hours before the first pup wakes back up. “Love you,” he mumbles, too slurred already to be fully intelligible.

But Cas knows him better than anyone else. “I love you, too, Dean. Good night. Dream something nice.”

Dean nods and uses the motion to bury deeper into his mate’s side before he gives himself over to the safe hands of sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I had much more plot planned for this chapter. Way too much plot. So that gets spread out over at least two more installments now. Yes, I have ideas for the next two chapters, this verse is not done yet. I hope y’all approve of that!


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